Osteospermum plant named ‘Arctur’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Arctur’, characterized by its compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching, dense and bushy appearance; early and continuous flowering; elongated white ray florets with purple gray-colored lower surfaces and blue-tipped disc florets; and good summer performance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis andreferred to by the cultivar name Arctur.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram was to create new Osteospermum cultivars with early flowering,good branching and improved summer performance.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor of theOsteospermum ecklonis cultivar Sunny Boy, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent and an unnamed proprietary selection of Osteospermumecklonis as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum wasselected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of thiscross in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany, in the summerof 1994.

Plants of the new cultivar are different from plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Sunny Boy, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the Osteospermum are more compact than plants of thecultivar Sunny Boy.

2. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more freely branching than plantsof the cultivar Sunny Boy.

3. Plants of the new Osteospermum flower about two weeks earlier thanplants of the cultivar Sunny Boy.

4. Plants of the new Osteospermum have more pointed ray florets thanplants of the cultivar Sunny Boy.

5. Plants of the new Osteospermum have shorter peduncles than plants ofthe cultivar Sunny Boy.

Plants of the new cultivar are different from plants of the male parent,the unnamed proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis, in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are larger than plants of the unnamedproprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis.

2. Plants of the new Osteospermum have larger inflorescences than plantsof the unnamed proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis.

3. Lower surfaces of ray florets of the new Osteospermum are purple grayin color whereas lower surfaces of ray florets of the unnamedproprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis are not purple gray incolor.

4. Plants of the new Osteospermum have shorter peduncles than plants ofthe unnamed proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings and bytissue culture at Gensingen, Germany, has shown that the unique featuresof this new Osteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Arctur’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Arctur’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely branching, dense and bushy appearance.

3. Early and continuous flowering.

4. Elongated white ray florets with purple gray-colored lower surfacesand blue-tipped disc florets.

5. Good summer performance, flowering continues through summer.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of theOsteospermum ecklonis cultivar Sparkler, not patented. However, inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of thenew cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar Sparkler, in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are much more compact than plants ofthe cultivar Sparkler.

2. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more freely branching than plantsof the cultivar Sparkler.

3. Plants of the new Osteospermum have smaller leaves than plants of thecultivar Sparkler.

4. Plants of the new Osteospermum have smaller inflorescences thanplants of the cultivar Sparkler.

The cultivar Arctur has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Arctur’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalleaves, an inflorescence bud and lower and upper surfaces of typicalinflorescences of ‘Arctur’. Foliage and floret colors in the photographsmay appear different from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plants ofthe new cultivar grown with three plants in a 25.5-cm container inBonsall, Calif., under outdoor, full-sun conditions with daytemperatures ranging from 18 to 35° C. and night temperatures rangingfrom 13 to 18° C. Plants were pinched (terminal apex removed) one timeabout two weeks after planting rooted cuttings. Plants used for thisdescription were grown for about 8 to 12 weeks after planting rootedcuttings.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Arctur.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Sunny Boy, notpatented.

Male, or pollen, parent.— Unnamed proprietary selection of Osteospermumecklonis.

Propagation:

Type.—By terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 20 days at 22° C. Winter: About 23days at 20° C.

Time to develop roots.—Summer: About 25 days at 22° C. Winter: About 28days at 20° C.

Rooting habit.—Fibrous and freely branching.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Perennial herbaceous container and garden plant. Broadinverted triangle. Initially upright then outwardly spreading growthhabit. Freely branching with about 4 to 5 lateral branches. Full plantswith dense foliage and erect flower stems.

Vigor.—Moderately vigorous.

Plant height.—About 30 cm.

Plant spread.—About 25 to 30 cm.

Lateral branch description.—Length: About 28 to 30 cm. Diameter: About 4mm. Internode length: About 0.5 to 1 cm. Texture: Very sparse hairs.Color: 144B to 144C.

Foliage description.—Leaves alternate, single. Quantity of leaves:Numerous, about 32 per lateral branch. Length, fully expanded leaves,basal: About 5.5 to 6.5 cm. Width, fully expanded leaves, basal: About1.8 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Nearly entire with minute irregular teeth. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture:Coarse; very minute hairs on lower surface. Color: Young foliage, uppersurface: 146B. Young foliage, lower surface: 146C. Fully expandedfoliage, upper surface: 146A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface:146B. Attenuated leaf base: 146D. Venation, upper surface: 146A.Venation, lower surface: 146B.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Daisy-type composite inflorescence form; actinomorphic. Discand ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescencesdisplayed above and beyond the foliage, with about two inflorescencesper peduncle; peduncles arising from leaf axils. Typically about 14opened and unopened inflorescences per plant. Inflorescences last aboutone week. Inflorescences persistent.

Flowering response.—Plants flower continuously from April to October inthe Northern Hemisphere.

Fragrance.—Not detected.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.5 to 5 cm. Depth (height): About 1cm. Diameter of disc: About 0.8 to 1 cm.

Inflorescence buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape:Ovoid. Color: 145B.

Ray florets.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Ligulate.Apex: Tri-dentate, minute. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Flat.Texture: Smooth, satiny. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About14 in a single whorl. Color: When opening, upper surface: White, 155D.When opening, lower surface: 148B to 148C with darker centrallongitudinal stripe. Fully opened, upper surface: White, 155D, withlight purple, 92B, at base. Fully opened, lower surface: 156A with fouror five longitudinal narrow stripes close to 93B; apex, 157A.

Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; slightly salverform; five-lobed, fluted atapex. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: Numerous, about 48.Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Color: Immature: 149D; apex, 98B.Mature: 149D; apex, 98B to 98C.

Phyllaries.—Shape: Linear. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin: Entire.Quantity and arrangement: About 14 per inflorescence; whorled. Texture:Coarse. Color: Upper surface: 144B. Lower surface: 148B.

Peduncle.—Length: About 8 cm. Aspect: Moderately strong; inflorescencesheld above and beyond foliage. Texture: Hispid; granular. Color: 146C.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Stamens:Five; fused. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther size: About 1.5 mm. Anthercolor: 21A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 21A. Gynoecium: Presenton ray and disc florets. Pistils: One. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigmashape: Bipartate. Stigma color: 99B. Style length: About 3 mm. Stylecolor: 145B. Ovary color: 145A.

Seed, immature.—Color: Green.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Osteospermum hasnot been observed on plants of the new Osteospermum.

Heat tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have demonstrated goodtolerance to high temperatures and exhibit good summer performance.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plantnamed ‘Arctur’, as illustrated and described.